I read your Sept. 8 article (“Quiet Zone Proves a Ticket Trap”) about the ticket zone where you stated that 48 of the 314 tickets handed out over a two month period were contested, one being dismissed. Happily I am the one, however at great expense. Calculating my time at $5 per hour, $73 for gasoline and making a DVD, I spent $343, a pretty heady cost to retrieve $43.

Was worth it? Absolutely.

Why? Because it once again shows that one person on a mission can beat City Hall and all their insidious roadblocks.

The city showed clear incompetence at following the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices which clearly defined what “no parking” signs should look like. Then to tax and overburden visitors with their ineptness is despicable. It is just so obviously and clearly wrong.

It was proved in my presentation that anyone that got a ticket in that area should not have because the signs are illegally designed, illegally placed and illegally painted.

I do not know who the hearing officer was but he clearly listened to my presentation for at least 30 minutes, took notes, asked questions and then ruled in favor of the truth. God bless America. We still have a few people that do the right thing.

My presentation was recorded and anyone should be able to get a copy to use in their defense.

The city will likely not step up and put up real “no parking” signs because they are simply banking on the fact that most people will just pay and walk away. Citizens 1, City Coffers 314. Pretty good odds in favor of the city.

The mayor, the police chief, the officers that write the tickets, they all know the signs are a joke, yet they will likely do nothing to change them. That saddens my effort.

In closing I just want to thank Andrea Adelson and Rita Robinson for taking the time and taking the heat on writing about this ridiculous nonsense for the last couple of months. You both proved to me that the second part of our great system still works. Thank you for renewing my faith in the process of free speech. I am so proud of the both of you as journalists. You dignify and enliven the word.

I am just one person. Sadly it is going to take all of us to get our country back and we are going to have to fight much harder than I fought to set our ship back on course. This simple act proves to me in my gut that we can get it back and it also proves that we are going to have to fight and fight and fight to do so.

One Comment

Mark PryorOctober 31, 2011 at 11:53 am

This past Friday I stopped by The Mozambique to check out the stage and sound system because our band “Close Enough” has been invited to play there on 11/11 from 5 to 7 for the early bird session. Having been a past resident of Laguna Beach (living at Bluebird & Summit) I know very well to look for parking signage which I did. Seeing none I parked at the corner of Bluebird and Glenneyre. I parked on the east side of Glenneyre facing north and was the first vehicle on the corner. As I walked to the restaurant I once again scanned the street of parking signage and seeing non felt good about my parking choice (a full block away). Upon entering the once known “Tortilla Flats” I stop and spoke with an old associate I haven’t seen in several years as they were on their way out. They happen to live in San Juan Capistrano. I was very impressed with The Mozambique staff and stage/sound system. I enjoyed watching the patrons dancing and the band was good so I stayed until 10PM.

Walking back to my truck I noticed a ticket on it and was dishearten that I would get a ticket when parking a block away. I, for the third time, looked for parking signage and still did not see ANY! I thought to myself, “This is a fine way to drive away business.” Fortunately for me the ticket was only a “warning” ticket. Permits are only for LB residence. WOW, what if I worked at Mozambique? Do I have to take up valuable space in the valet parking? Do the Marine Room and other LB night spots have the same parking issues?